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Family study of subthreshold psychopathology in a community sample

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 October 2007

S. A. Shankman ,
D. N. Klein ,
P. M. Lewinsohn ,
J. R. Seeley  and
J. W. Small
S. A. Shankman*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
D. N. Klein
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
P. M. Lewinsohn
Affiliation:
Oregon Research Institute, Eugene, OR, USA
J. R. Seeley
Affiliation:
Oregon Research Institute, Eugene, OR, USA
J. W. Small
Affiliation:
Oregon Research Institute, Eugene, OR, USA
*
*Address for correspondence: S. A. Shankman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, and Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1007 W. Harrison, Room 1062D; M/C 285, Chicago, IL 60607, USA. (Email: stewarts@uic.edu)
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Abstract

Background

There has been increasing interest in the validity and familial transmission of subthreshold psychiatric conditions and the relationship between subthreshold conditions and full syndrome (FS) disorders. However, most of these studies examined a single subthreshold condition and thus fail to take into account the high co-morbidity among subthreshold conditions and between subthreshold conditions and FS disorders.

Method

A family study of subthreshold psychiatric conditions was conducted with 739 community-drawn young adults and their 1744 relatives. We examined (1) whether relatives of probands with subthreshold major depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, alcohol use, substance use, and/or conduct disorder exhibited an increased rate of the corresponding (homotypic) FS disorder; (2) whether subthreshold disorders were associated with increased familial rates of other (heterotypic) FS disorders; (3) whether subthreshold and FS conditions are associated with similar familial liabilities; and (4) whether these homotypic and heterotypic associations persisted after controlling for co-morbidity.

Results

Significant homotypic associations were observed for subthreshold anxiety, alcohol, conduct, and a trend was observed for major depression. Only the homotypic association for alcohol and conduct remained after controlling for co-morbid subthreshold and FS conditions. Many heterotypic associations were observed and most remained after controlling for co-morbidity.

Conclusions

It is important to broaden the study of subthreshold psychopathology to multiple disorders. In particular cases, controlling for co-morbidity with other subthreshold and FS conditions altered the patterns of familial aggregation. Etiological processes that are common to particular disorders and subthreshold conditions are discussed.

Keywords

Co-morbidityfamily studysubthreshold
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 38 , Issue 2 , February 2008 , pp. 187 - 198
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

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